Method and apparatus for loosening bobbins from spindles



Sept. 13, 1960 4 R. M. lNGHAM, JR 2,952,113

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOOSENING BOBBINS FROM SPINDLES Filed April 14,1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I30 J i 8| 3- icy F/6."2 1 {30 I 1 8| 2| 1 13bINVENTOR.

ROBERT M. INGHAM,JR.

ATTORNEY p 1960 R. M. INGHAM, JR 2,952,113

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOOSENING BOBBINS FROM SPINDLES Filed April 14,1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IINVENTOR.

Willi M ATTOR NEY ROBE RT M. INGHAM,JR.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOQSENING ROBBINS FROM SPINDLES Robert M.Ingham, Jr., Spartanburg, S.C., assignor to nited States PatentQ DeeringMilliken Research Corporation, Pendleton, H

S.C., a'corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 14, 1958, Ser. No. 728,352

15 Claims. (Cl. '5752) This invention relates to the doffing of bobbinsfrom the spindles of textile machines, such as spinning frames, twistingframes and the like, and more particularly to a method of looseningbobbins from a spindle through the 7 of a side of a frame, although suchmay be employed in other arrangements as may be desired.

In the dofiing of bobbins from a textile machine such as a spinningframe or the like, one problem lies in the tight -fit of the bobbins onthe given spindles in order to provide a firm drive connection betweenthe spindle and the bobbin. Consequently, the removal of the full bobbinpackages after Winding often presents a problem not only to the handdofier but particularly to automatic machine doifing such .as the typewherein a substantial plurality of bobbins are simultaneously doifedfrom a side or a portion of a side of a frame. In the case wherein asingle carrier beam is employed to raise a plurality of bobbins from thespinning frame, it will be apparent that a substantial lifting forcewill be required to simultaneously lift all bobbins from their spindlesdue to the static frictional seated engagement of the bobbins with theirrespective spindles, no means is provided for breaking the bobbins loosefrom their spindles other than the mere lifting of the bobbins by theoverhead common carrier. This would impose a substantial strain on thesupports for the carrier which may be, for instance, cables or the like.And in the instance wherein a hand doffer is employed in the usualmanner it will be apparent that many times the doffer will in jerkingthe bobbins loose cause the spindles to be pulled out of plumb, suchbeing a common result of bobbins being too firmly seated on theirspindles;

Accordingly, it is a major object and feature of this invention toprovide .a unique method of loosening bobbins from their spindles andwhich is particularly advantageous in automatic or semi-automaticdofiing wherein a common carrier support is employed for doffing aplurality of bobbins.

Still a further feature of the invention is the provision of a uniqueloosening method which utilizes the conventional ring rail of a spinningframe and its push-type lifter rods to impart a force to the bobbins onthe spindles to thereby loosen the same from their spindles.

A still further feature of this invention lies in a provision of amethod of loosening bobbins from their spindles which includes theexertion of an upward force on the bobbins through the medium ofadditional empt bobbins which are spaced between the spindles.

. A still further feature 'is the provision of a unique Patented Sept.13, 1960 ice apparatus which is particularly adapted to carrying out amethod of loosening bobbins and wherein the force exerted is preferablyinitiated by pneumatic pressure.

Still another feature is the provision of a unique adapter arrangementfor existing twister and spinning frames and the like which permitsfacile loosening of the bobbins from their spindles through the use ofthe conventional ring rail yet which restricts upward movement of therail during operation while permitting full ring rail movement duringWinding of the yarn package.

Briefly, according to the preferred mode of practicing the invention, aplurality of full bobbin packages are simultaneously loosened from theirseated position on rotatable spindles by the exertion of an axialloosening force of the bobbins through the medium of a plurality ofempty bobbins supported between the spindles and not disposed onspindles, such force being exerted by the conventional or other ringrail or other traversing guide member of the frame through the emptybobbins and a common carrier or support member which in turn transitsthe force to the seated bobbins, the upward movement of the bobbinspreferably being positively restricted to a small distance during theloosening action, and the full unseated bobbins being subsequentlyremoved from the spindles by raising the carrier after the initialloosening of the bobbins from their seated position.

Still other objects, features, and attendant advantages will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the followingdetailed description of a preferred embodiment and mode of carrying outthe invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingswherein Figure 1 is a schematic illustration showing an apparatussuitable for carrying out the method according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic illustration showing the position of the bobbinsafter loosening thereof according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic illustration of the movable limit stoparrangement taken at right angle to the view of Figures 1 and 2, thefull lines indicating the position in Figure 1 and the broken lines theposition in Figure 2.

Figure 4 illustrates in end view the conventional pedal arm latcharrangement as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the latched position ofFigure 1 being shown in full lines and the unla-tehed position of Figure2 being shown in broken lines.

Figures 5 and 6 schematically illustrate alternative embodiments forcarrying out the invention.

Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawings, the invention isillustrated as applied to a conventional spinning frame 11 for warpbobbins. As shown in Figure 1, the warp bobbins 13 are removably seatedin a conventional manner, as by .a top drive connection 15, on aplurality of upright spindles 17 rotatably mounted on a spindle rail 19.Yarn may be wound upon the bobbins in the conventional manner as by acorresponding plurality of rings 21 and travelers 23 disposed upon avertically movably ring rail 24 which is normally traversed along thedesired length of the bobbins by a plurality of lifter rods 25 andassociated lifter rod actuating mechanism in the conventional manner.The conventional lifter rod and ring rail motion imparting arrangementincludes a lifter rod rocker arm 27 for each of the lifter rods 25 andwhich has a roller 29 at the end thereof engaging with a foot 31 formedor secured on thelower end of the lifter rod, the lifter rocker arm 27being pivoted about individual transverse parallel axes on respectivecross shafts 33 to move their respective lifter rods in a verticallydownward direction by a pull exerted thereon through a builderconnecting chain 35 and a connecting rod 37 or the like connectedbetween the actuating upright lever arms 39 for the lifter rocker arms.As is conventional practice, the connecting chain 35 is pulled by abuilder motion'imparting device (not shown) to impart a downwardmovement to the ring rail 24 and is controllably released to permit thering rail 24 to be raised by the force exerted thereon by thecounterweights W mounted on lever arms secured to the rocker crossshafts 33.

In a preferred arrangement and method according to the instant inventionan auxiliary lever arm 41 is secured on one or more of the cross shafts33 or directly to one or more of the lifter rocker arms 27 in order toprovide a second source of lifting power movement for the lifter rockerarm and lifter rod arrangement. While a single auxiliary lever 41 hasbeen found to be satisfactory in a practical working arrangement, somearrangements may require several auxiliary actuating levers 41 forsufficient and balanced force. The auxiliary actuating lever arm or armsare actuated preferably by one or more air cylinder and pistonarrangements 43, 45 operatively connected to a suitable source of airpressure 47 as through a conduit and valve arrangement 49, 51. When thevalve 51 is opened the piston 45 will be moved to the left (as viewed inthe figures) to thereby apply a counterclockwise motion to the auxiliarylever arm 41 and lifter rocker arms and an upward motion to the lifterrods 25 and ring rail 24, this action being permitted and notinterfering with the conventional builder flexible chain drive linkage35, 37 for the lifter rocker arms. While the preferred arrangementincludes an auxiliary lever arm 41, it is within the broad scope of theinvention to omit the auxiliary lever arm and actuate the conventionalupright lever arm (or arms) 39 directly by the auxiliary air cylinderand piston assembly, if so desired.

In order to limit the upward movement of the ring rail during thisauxiliary movement thereof by the air cylinder and piston arrangement43, 45 a movable limit stop notch, or other stop 55 formed thereon isprovided. The lever 53 is preferably pivotally mounted as indicated at,57 adjacent a rocker arm27a or a foot on the rocker arm 27a, and isnormally resiliently'biased in a direction away from the arm 2.7a or thefoot thereon by a spring 59 to a position out of engagement with theadjacent rocker arm 2711 or foot on the rocker arm, thereby permittingunimpeded upward and downward movement of the ring rail 24 by theconventional linkage and drive arrangement for the traversing of thering rail 24 during member in the form of a lever 53 having a shoulder,d

winding of the bobbins 13. To the end that the limit stop will limitupward movement of the ring rail during actuation of mean cylinder andpiston arrangement 43, 45 a second air cylinder and piston arrangement63, 65 is connected in parallel with the first air cylinder and piston43, 45 and is thus simultaneously actuated with the ring-rail-rnovingair cylinder and piston. The piston 65 of this second air cylinderarrangement is operatively connected to or mounted in close proximity tothe limit stop lever 53, and when actuated opposes the action of thespring 59 to thereby move the limit stop 55 into the path of upwardmovement of the adjacent rocker arm 27a or a suitable foot or lugthereon. The vertical distance between the arm 27a and the shoulder ornotch 55 prior to this actuation may be adjustable and of any desireddistance, as of the order of an inch or half inch, as may be necessaryto effect the desired result in moving the ring rail upwardly.

A common carrier bar or beam 67 is vertically movably disposed, as bysuspension on a cable or cables'69, above the spindles and extends alongthe length of the ring rail 24 and spindle rail 19, having a pluralityof of full bobbin holders 73, the empty bobbin holders 71 holders suchas inverted cup-shaped elastic members 71' as shown in Figure 1, or flatmagnetic bobbin-holding discs 75 having annular flared guide skirts 77for guiding and centering the bobbins, as shown in Figure 5. The fullbobbin package holders may take the form of a plurality of pneumaticallyinwardly distensible elastic annulus members 79 each of which is securedin airtight annular relation to each end within a rigid supporting tube81, as described in more detail in my copending application Serial No.703,353. The annulus members 79 are normally deflated, as shown inFigure l, and may pass in circumferential relation about the yarnpackages 13a, being selectively inflated by application of pneumaticpressure through line 74 to the sealed interior of each of the annulusmembers 79, to thereby grasp the packages 13:; and/or the bobbins 13 forraising thereof. The air pressure line 74 may be connected from anysuitable source of pneumatic pressure (not shown) and is in turn inpneumatic connection to the sealed interior of each of the distensiblegraspers 79 as by a plurality of branch lines 74a. Other grasperarrangements for the full bobbin'packages might also include bobbin headend graspers or other pack-age graspers.

An alternative form of package grasper is schematically parting meanssuch as an elastic element. for closing and a lever and linkage 93, foropening thereof, to selectively release or grasp the package and/or thebobbin on which the package is formed; The only requirement for thecarrier and associated bobbin holders or graspers insofar as thisinstant invention is concerned is that the empty bobbin holders becapable of permitting a compression force to be applied to the emptybobbin holders by the ring rail and to the carrier beam to impart anupward movement to the carrier beam, with the full bobbin or packagegraspers being required to permit a tension stress thereon to pull thefull bobbin packages upwardly. Thus it will be seen that variousmechanical arrangements may be employed for holding the full and emptybobbins in carrying out the method according to this invention.

Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, in carrying out the method ofloosening of the full bobbin packages from their spindles according tothe instant invention, the ring rail 24 is lowered to the bottom of thefull bobbin packages which are seated on then" spindles 17, with theconventional pivoted pedal arm latch 91 catching and retaining the pedalrocker arm 27b in this lower position, and the thread boards andseparators (not shown) are turned back out of the way, as isconventional practice at the end of each complete winding operation. Thecarrier beam 67, having a plurality of empty bobbins 13 held thereby inthe empty bobbin holders 71, is then moved into a position above thespindles 17 and in vertical alignment therewith, the depending emptybobbins 13 being disposed in spaced-apart relation between the fullbobbin packages 13a on the spindles. The carrier beam 67 is then loweredto bring the full bobbin graspers 73 downwardly "about the full bobbinpackages 13a with the empty bobbins 13 thus passing between the fullbobbin packages and having their lower ends 13b adjacent to or incontact with the ring rail 24 or the rings 21. The graspers 73 for thefull bobbin packages are then actuated as by the application ofpneumatic pressure from a common supply source (not shown) to theplurality of elastic annulus members 79, or by application of a closingforce as in the embodiment of Figure 6, to cause the graspers to efiecta firm grasp on the full bobbin packages 13a and/or the bobbins 13themselves. The pedal arm latch 91 is then g returned under the actionof the spring 59.

moved to release the arm 27b and thereby permit the exertion of 2.raising force on the ring rail by the weights W. This force W isnormally not sufiicient to raise the combined weight of the ring rail 24and the bobbins and the carrier'beam assembly as well as to freethe fullbobbins 1301 from their spindles 17, and accordingly the air cylinderand piston arrangement 43 is employed in addition to the weights W forfreeing the full bobbins 1311 from the spindles. The ring rail 24 islifted upwardly by the opening of valve 51 and application of airpressure to the air cylinder and piston arrangements 43, 45 and 63, 65.This causes the lifter rod rocker arms 27 to be moved counterclockwise(as viewed in the schematic illustration of Figures 1 and 2) therebyraising the lifter rod and ring rail assembly 24, 25. The movementupwardly of the ring rail 24 elfects a corresponding upward movement ofthe empty bobbins 13 thereby transmitting an upward movement to thecarrier beam 67 and the full bobbin package graspers 73. The full bobbinpackage graspers 73 thus pull their bobbin packages 1311 upwardly andthereby loosen the same from their respective spindles 17. Upon theopening of the valve 51 the auxiliary air cylinder and piston 63, 65associated with the movable limit stop lever arm 53 is also actuated tomove the limit stop 55 into the path of the rocker lifter arm 27a,thereby limiting the upward movement of the lifter rods and ring rail 24to a desired distance. The valve 51 may then be adjusted to vent the airfrom the air cylinders 43 and 63 and the ring rail 24 may be reloweredto its bottom position by stepping on the foot pedal 2711 on the rockerarm 27b and relatching the arm 2712 with the latch 91, the movable limitstop lever arm 53 being The carrier beam 67 may then be lifted by itssupporting cables 69 to thereby remove the full bobbin package 13a fromthe spindles 17 without requiring the considerable pull on the carrierbeam and its supporting arrangement including cables 69 that would havebeen necessary if the loosening were accomplished by this upward pullingaction on the carrier beam alone. Subsequently, the empty bobbins 13 maybe disposed on the spindles 17, by lateral shifting and relowering ofthe carrier assembly 67, 71, 73.

It will be apparent that various modifications and improvements maybemade within the spirit and scope of the invention, accordingly it is tobe understood that the invention is not limited by the specificillustrative example as described herein, but only by the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of loosening a first bobbin from a spindle having a ringrail movable longitudinally thereof, comprising exerting an upward forceon said bobbin through application of an upward force by said ring railon a second bobbin laterally adjacent said first bobbin and held by acommon support supporting said first bobbin and said second bobbin.

2. The method of loosening a plurality of first bobbins from acorresponding plurality of laterally adjacent spindles and having a ringrai-l common to said plurality of spindles and movable longitudinally intraversing relation along said spindles, comprising substantiallysimultaneously exerting an upwardly directed force on each of saidbobbins through application of an upward force by said ring rail on aplurality of second bobbins laterally adjacent and disposed between saidfirst bobbins and held by a common support supporting both said firstbobbins and said second bobbins.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein said upwardly directed forceis a pneumatically exerted force.

4. The method of doffing a plurality of bobbin packages from acorresponding plurality of spaced-apart spindles on a textile framehaving a relatively movable traversing rail common to said spindles,comprising grasping each of said bobbin packages with a respectivevertically movable grasper mounted on a common longitudinally extendingsupport member, forming a plurality of spacedapart mechanical forcetransmitting connections between said support member and, said ringrail, and moving said ring rail upwardly and exerting an upwardlydirected force on said graspers through said connections and said commonsupport member to thereby free said bobbin packages from said spindles.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein said plurality ofspaced-apart force transmitting connections'are eflfected throughmechanically interconnecting said common support member and said ringrail by a plurality of empty bobbins supported by said support member atalternate spaced positions between each of said spindles and extendingsubstantially vertically between said support member and said traversingrail.

6. The method according to claim 4 wherein said empty bobbins aresupported at their head ends by said common support member duringdofi'ing of said bobbin packages, and said bobbin packages are graspedintermediate their ends during dofling thereof.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein said common support member issubsequently moved vertically without the combined aid of said ring railto remove said bobbin packages from said spindles and then laterally toalign said empty bobbins with respective ones of said spindles; thenlowering said common support member, bobbin packages and empty bobbinsand seating said empty bobbins on said spindles; freeing said emptybobbins from said common support member and thereafter laterally movingsaid common support member and removing said full packages from saidcommon support member at a position laterally spaced away from saidframe.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein said bobbin packages areresiliently grasped intermediate their ends during both the dofling anddonning operations, the removal of said bobbin packages from said commonsupport member being eifected through substantially simultaneous releaseof said resilient grasp on said bobbin packages.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein said grasping of each of saidbobbin packages is eifected through air pressure exerted on a resilientinflatable member at least partially circumscribing each respective saidbobbin package, and said simultaneous release is effected throughrelease of said air pressure.

10. The method according to claim 4 wherein said bobbin packages aregrasped intermediate their ends during dofling thereof.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein said grasping is etfectedby at least one resilient member selectively inflated to graspingposition by air pressure.

12. Apparatus for loosening a plurality of bobbins from their spindleson a textile frame having a movable traverse rail, a plurality ofupstanding spindles, and means for traversing said rail vertically alongsaid spindles through a selected package-forming path, comprisingadditional traverse rail moving means operatively connected to said railand being selectively actuatable, said additional traverse rail movingmeans being effective only when said rail is at the lower end of itstravel, said additional traverse rail moving means having a maximummovement imparting eifect on said rail of substantially less than saidpackage-forming path.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, further comprisa stop adapted tolimit movement of said rail during actuation by said additional traverserail moving means, said stop being ineffective during movement of saidrail by said first mentioned means for traversing said rail, said stopbeing actuatably responsive to actuation of said second traverse railmoving means.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said additional traverserail moving means includes a pneumatic pressure-to-movement translatingdevice operativelyconnected to said rail.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said stop includes a movablestop member, resilient biasing means operatively connected to said stopmember and adapted common pneumatic circuit relation with said firstmen- 'to bias said stop member toward its inoperative position, tionedpneumatic pressure-to-movement translating device a second pneumatic pressure-to-movement translating device operatively connected to saidstop member and adapted to bias said stop member into rail-movement- 5References Cited in the file of this Patent restricting position inopposing relation to said resilient UNITED STATES PATENTS biasing means,said second pneumatic pressure-to-movement translating device beingoperatively connected in 2,628,468 Greene Feb. 17, 1953

